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Substance Use Therapy
& Assessments in Ohio
Virtual Substance Use Counseling and Assessments for Teens and Adults Across Ohio
Maybe you've been drinking more than you used to. Maybe its not fun anymore, it's just something you do to get through the day. Maybe someone in your life has raised concern, or a situation has brought you here. Or maybe you’ve started quietly wondering if your relationship with alcohol or other substances is still working for you.
Whatever brought you to this page, you don't have to have it figured out. You don't have to be ready to quit. You don't. have to have hit rock bottom. You just have to be willing to be honest.
At Beyond the Bump Counseling, I offer substance use counseling and formal assessments for teens and adults in Ohio. My approach is rooted in harm reduction, which means I meet you where you actually are, not where I think you should be.
A Harm Reduction Approach
Harm Reduction is a framework that starts with a simple belief: only you can decide what you want your relationship with substances to look like. My job isn't to tell you what your goal should be. My job is to help you get clear on what you actually want, and then support you in working toward it.
While sobriety is often the healthiest long-term outcome, I also know that's not always where someone is, and demanding it as a starting point can push people away from support entirely. Harm reduction means we focus on reducing the damage that substance use is causing in your life, even if the use itself hasn't stopped yet.
That might look like cutting back. Setting limits. Understanding your triggers. Building coping strategies that don't involve substances. Or working toward full sobriety, on a timeline that's realistic for you. You set the goal. I help you get there.
Honesty is the Foundation
Private practice substance use work is different from treatment programs in one important way: there is no drug testing, no external accountability structure, no one checking behind you. What that means is that therapy at this level runs entirely on honesty.
That’s not a warning, it’s actually an invitation. Because the kind of honesty that happens in a private, nonjudgmental therapy space, where you’re not being monitored, not performing recovery for anyone else, is often the most real and most productive kind.
I’m not here to catch you. I’m here to help you. But that only works if we’re working from the truth.
A Harm Reduction Approach
Harm Reduction is a framework that starts with a simple belief: only you can decide what you want your relationship with substances to look like. My job isn't to tell you what your goal should be. My job is to help you get clear on what you actually want, and then support you in working toward it.
While sobriety is often the healthiest long-term outcome, I also know that's not always where someone is, and demanding it as a starting point can push people away from support entirely. Harm reduction means we focus on reducing the damage that substance use is causing in your life, even if the use itself hasn't stopped yet.
That might look like cutting back. Setting limits. Understanding your triggers. Building coping strategies that don't involve substances. Or working toward full sobriety, on a timeline that's realistic for you. You set the goal. I help you get there.
What Problematic Substance Use Can Look Like
Substance use doesn’t always look like what people picture. It doesn’t always involve losing everything or hitting a dramatic low point. Sometimes it’s quieter than that, and harder to name precisely because your life still looks mostly intact.
It might look like:
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Drinking or using more than you intended to, more often than you planned
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Using substances to manage stress, anxiety, sleep, or emotions you don’t know how to handle otherwise
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Thinking about using more than feels comfortable to admit
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Hiding how much you’re using from people in your life
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Noticing that it takes more to get the same effect
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Trying to cut back and finding it harder than expected
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Feeling like you need it just to feel normal or get through the day
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Substance use increasing after a major life change: a new baby, a job loss, a period of intense stress
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In teens: changes in mood, academic performance, friendships, or behavior that coincide with suspected use
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not a lost cause. You’re someone whose use has gotten out of balance and who deserves support in figuring out what to do about it.
Who I Work With
Substance use looks different for everyone. I work with:
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Adults who are questioning their relationship with alcohol or other substances and want space to think it through honestly
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Teens whose substance use has become a concern: for themselves, their parents, or both
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People in early recovery who want ongoing therapy support after a treatment program
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Parents navigating substance use alongside the stress of pregnancy, postpartum, or early parenthood
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People who have tried abstinence-only approaches before and found them unsustainable
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Anyone who needs a formal substance use assessment, for an employer, a professional licensing board, or their own clarity
You don’t need to fit a particular profile to reach out. If substance use is showing up as a problem in your life, even if you’re not sure how big a problem, that’s enough reason to talk.
Substance Use Assessments
In addition to ongoing therapy, I offer formal substance use assessments for a variety of purposes. Assessments involve a structured clinical evaluation of your substance use history, patterns, and impact, and result in a written report with findings and recommendations.
I provide assessments for:
Employer & Professional Licensing Assessments
Some employers, professional licensing boards, or employee assistance programs (EAPs) require a substance use assessment as part of a return-to-work process, licensing review, or compliance requirement. I can complete assessments that document your substance use history and current status for these purposes. If you’re unsure whether my assessments meet the specific requirements of your situation, reach out before scheduling and we can talk it through.
Clinical Diagnostic Assessments
If you or a treatment provider wants a clear clinical picture of your substance use, including whether a substance use disorder is present and at what level, a diagnostic assessment can provide that clarity and inform what level of care or support makes sense going forward.
Self-Referred Assessments
You don’t need an employer requirement or external pressure to get an assessment. Some people seek one simply because they want an honest, professional picture of where their use stands, without the noise of someone else’s agenda. That’s a completely valid reason to reach out.
What Substance Use Therapy Looks Like With Me
Sessions are virtual and available across Ohio. We start by getting an honest picture of where you are: what you’re using, how much, what role it’s playing in your life, and what you actually want to be different. From there, we build a plan that reflects your goals, not a one-size-fits-all recovery script.
We’ll work on understanding what’s driving the use, developing real alternatives, and building the kind of honest self-awareness that makes lasting change possible. Progress won’t always be linear. That’s okay. We work with where you actually are, not where you’re supposed to be.
Ready to Have an Honest Conversation
Whether you’re looking for therapy, an assessment, or just want to talk through whether this is the right fit, I’m easy to reach. I offer a free 15-minute consultation with no pressure and no judgment.
Substance Use Assessments
In addition to ongoing therapy, I offer formal substance use assessments for a variety of purposes. Assessments involve a structured clinical evaluation of your substance use history, patterns, and impact, and result in a written report with findings and recommendations.
I provide assessments for:
Employer & Professional Licensing Assessments
Some employers, professional licensing boards, or employee assistance programs (EAPs) require a substance use assessment as part of a return-to-work process, licensing review, or compliance requirement. I can complete assessments that document your substance use history and current status for these purposes. If you’re unsure whether my assessments meet the specific requirements of your situation, reach out before scheduling and we can talk it through.
Clinical Diagnostic Assessments
If you or a treatment provider wants a clear clinical picture of your substance use, including whether a substance use disorder is present and at what level, a diagnostic assessment can provide that clarity and inform what level of care or support makes sense going forward.
Self-Referred Assessments
You don’t need an employer requirement or external pressure to get an assessment. Some people seek one simply because they want an honest, professional picture of where their use stands, without the noise of someone else’s agenda. That’s a completely valid reason to reach out.
Substance Use During Pregnancy, Postpartum and Parenthood
The perinatal period and early parenthood can be significant triggers for substance use, or for existing use to intensify. The stress, the sleep deprivation, the identity upheaval, the anxiety that doesn’t have an obvious outlet. Alcohol especially is deeply normalized as a coping mechanism for parenting stress in ways that can make it hard to recognize when it’s become something more.
A Harm Reduction Approach
Harm Reduction is a framework that starts with a simple belief: only you can decide what you want your relationship with substances to look like. My job isn't to tell you what your goal should be. My job is to help you get clear on what you actually want, and then support you in working toward it.
While sobriety is often the healthiest long-term outcome, I also know that's not always where someone is, and demanding it as a starting point can push people away from support entirely. Harm reduction means we focus on reducing the damage that substance use is causing in your life, even if the use itself hasn't stopped yet.
That might look like cutting back. Setting limits. Understanding your triggers. Building coping strategies that don't involve substances. Or working toward full sobriety, on a timeline that's realistic for you. You set the goal. I help you get there.
More to Explore
A few favorites for when you want to go a little deeper.
Books
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Check back soon for new finds.
Podcasts
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Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories - Brad McLeod
Things I've Written
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New blogs coming soon!